Vote: Mystery Draft Test Team

[Athlai]

So in the mystery draft every player is given a test team and they must select 3 players from that team as well as one from every other Test team (zim/bangladesh combined) All the players had to have debuted after 1989

Who do you think has the best?

Somerset XI - Somerset

Mark Richardson
Gary Kirsten
Michael Vaughan
Mahela Jayawardene
Andy Flower (+)
Mike Hussey
VVS Laxman
Daniel Vettori
Shane Bond
Ian Bishop
Shabbir Ahmed

Charter 77 - Michaelf7777777

Sanath Jayasuriya
Mark Taylor
Rahul Dravid
Brian Lara
Murray Goodwin
Alec Stewart (+)
Brian McMillan
Chris Cairns
Harbhajan Singh
Javagal Srinath
Waqar Younis

The Pathfinders - bagapath

Matthew Hayden
Shahid Afridi
Ramnaresh Sarwan
Sachin Tendulkar
Kevin Pietersen
Adam Gilchrist (+)
Tatenda Taibu
Mitchell Johnson
Ajantha Mendis
Dale Steyn
Simon Doull

The Gang - Nnanden

Stephen Fleming
V Sehwag
Ricky Ponting
Mohammad Yousuf
JP Duminy
Jimmy Adams (+)
M Mahmudallah
Andrew Flintoff
Chaminda Vaas
Nuwan Kulasekara
Rangana Herath

The Maniacs - Matt79

Andrew Strauss
Ross Taylor
Younis Khan
Inzamam-ul-Haq
Thilan Samaraweera
MS Dhoni (+)
Dwayne Bravo
Shaun Pollock
Shakib al Hasan
Shoaib Akhtar
Glenn McGrath

The Avengers - Athlai

Graeme Smith
Marcus Trescothick
Jesse Ryder
Sourav Ganguly
Dave Houghton
Shiv Chanderpaul
Matt Prior (+)
Brett Lee
Darren Gough
Muttiah Muralitharan
Mohammad Asif

Die Neun Neun Neuners - Jamee999

Saeed Anwar
Michael Atherton
Kumar Sangakkara (+)
Chris Gayle
Nathan Astle
Wavell Hinds
Habibul Bashar
Shane Warne
Anil Kumble
Mervyn Dillon
Allan Donald

The Warriors - mettalics_2006

Gautham Gambhir
Justin Langer
Marvan Atapattu
Jacques Kallis
Graham Thorpe
AB de Villiers (+)
Craig McMillan
Heath Streak
Fanie de Villiers
Darren Sammy
Saqlain Mushtaq

[morgieb]

Matt79's or Jamee's.

[Somerset]

This was my analysis of my side from the Mystery Draft topic:

Stengths:
A stonewalling opening pair with Richardson and Kirsten to take the shine off the new ball.
Quality batting right down to number seven with three batsmen averaging more than 50 in test matches.
All three fast bowlers with top records and should complement each other nicely.
Even though I was awarded New Zealand as my team theres no real standout weak player with all three Kiwis excellent test players, and a minnow whos anything but that.

Weaknesses:
Reasonably inexperience pace attack led by Bishop.
Vettori's useful but theres better spinners around with healthier records.
No real fifth bowling option - Mike Hussey or Mahela Jaywardene don't come close to qualifying so Michael Vaughan's our next best.
Laxman at seven might be too low in the order for a player of his status.

-----

To be honest I considered voting for Bagapath's side as I liked the mix of players hes included; but can't go past Matt's side and he gets my vote.

[stephen]

I'd have to go with the batting strength of Bagapaths team. Just simply too good for any of the bowling attacks they'd face.

[Matt79]

Jamee's if the matches were played on pitches that took spin. On tracks without assistance for the spinners, I think Donald would be manful but lacking support.

Probably go Bagapath's just as Steyn and Johnson would be lethal in helpful conditions, Mendis would be a handful, and a batting order of Hayden, Tendulkar, Pietersen and Gilly is pretty intimidating.

[Matt79]

Originally Posted by stephen

I'd have to go with the batting strength of Bagapaths team. Just simply too good for any of the bowling attacks they'd face.

Reckon McGrath, Pollock and Akhtar would give them some pause tbh. [/shameless lobbying]

[Somerset]

Originally Posted by Matt79

Reckon McGrath, Pollock and Akhtar would give them some pause tbh. [/shameless lobbying]

Though those three would have nothing over Bishop, Bond and Shabbir at the Basin Reserve.

[G.I.Joe]

Die Neun Neun Neuners

Bagapath's team has the strongest batting lineup, but a poor bowling attack. Enough to put one to sleep watching them try to roll over the opposition.

[kingkallis]

Bagpath's team gets my vote for following reasons :

Very strong middle order

All 4 different type of bowlers, there is no evenness in the attack and that can be really handy!

[BoyBrumby]

Like Matt's bowling an awful lot and any potential weakness in the top order is offset to some extent by having a long batting lineup with Pollock & Shakib at 8&9.

Somers has a great batting line up (maybe too much so with Laxman at 7) but the bowling looks light and no real back up from the batsman except Mick's occasional offies.

Athers has nice depth to his batting with a quality 4-man attack, but maybe lacks an absolute superstar in his middle order with Ryder-Ganguly-Houghton solid but not spectacular. This is offset by Chanders & Prior at 6&7 with Lee adding length to the order at #8.

The Warriors have a lot of quality bowling options, but maybe lack a top notch first change seamer to support de Villiers & Streak; Kallis no mug tho, obv.

Think Charter 77 take the honours tho. Brian McMillian is a great 4th seamer to have & him & Cairns at 7&8 is lovely depth. Jayasuriya a more than handy 2nd spin option.

[Athlai]

Originally Posted by BoyBrumby

Like Matt's bowling an awful lot and any potential weakness in the top order is offset to some extent by having a long batting lineup with Pollock & Shakib at 8&9.

Somers has a great batting line up (maybe too much so with Laxman at 7) but the bowling looks light and no real back up from the batsman except Mick's occasional offies.

Athers has nice depth to his batting with a quality 4-man attack, but maybe lacks an absolute superstar in his middle order with Ryder-Ganguly-Houghton solid but not spectacular. This is offset by Chanders & Prior at 6&7 with Lee adding length to the order at #8.

The Warriors have a lot of quality bowling options, but maybe lack a top notch first change seamer to support de Villiers & Streak; Kallis no mug tho, obv.

Think Charter 77 take the honours tho. Brian McMillian is a great 4th seamer to have & him & Cairns at 7&8 is lovely depth. Jayasuriya a more than handy 2nd spin option.

Missed out on Laxman which killed my batting plan a bit.

[bagapath]

Originally Posted by G.I.Joe

Enough to put one to sleep watching them try to roll over the opposition.

I think that is a dig at my usual take on kallis!

guys! thanks for all the 9 votes. makes me feel good. but the team is coming third in the simulated series so far.

i have never ever done anything in my life that even borders on what i am compelled to do here. i feel like voting for my own team. and i am very embarrassed about it. please dont think I am a self obsessed prick. i dont love the team (or myself). but i am not able to vote for any other combination above this. I like many other teams especially warriors and avengers. but still feel the mix is pretty good in pathfinders. of course, it is not translating into victories but that is a different issue. so gentlemen, dont abuse me and please let me vote for my own team.

[Matt79]

You did it too you sod...

[Athlai]

Cheeky bugger!

[BoyBrumby]

FTR I'm not overly convinced with bagapath's bowling. Johnson, Steyn & Mendis are all players who're still carving their names and Doull and Afridi are solid rather than spectacular. Afridi opeining seems a bit of a fudge too.

Think my opinion of Steyn is tarnished because he's invariably ordinary versus England.